Giveaway Winners and What I Did This Weekend

Hi Everyone!  Whew!  What a busy weekend.  Stitches was really fun.  I had a great time and saw some beautiful yarns.  I came home with a few nice ones, too!  Lots going on, both at work for me and for Papa Pea, and I got some sewing done, too.

First, I'm late on my giveaway!  So, here we go.  The winners are:

The first number Mr. Random chose was #4, Lynn!  Congratulations, Lynn!  I'll send you a copy of Lucy's Lunchmat pattern and some squares of Lucy's Crabshack fabric!  Woo hoo!

The second number Mr. Random chose was #34, Linda!  Congratulations!  I'll also send you a copy of Lucy's Lunchmat pattern and some squares of Lucy's Crabshack fabric!  Woo hoo!  I'll email you for your address.

I have some more stuff to giveaway here over time, so don't worry.  There will be other chances!

 
One thing I did this weekend was to make the binding for my Lincoln's Watch quilt.  Shelly, of Prairie Moon Quilts, quilted it for me.  It's in the mail on the way back to me.  I am so excited.  So, I decided to get the binding made up for it while I waited.  (I need to do this more often, to avoid the problems like the ones you'll read about below!)  I like to wind my binding on these old, antique bobbins.  It really helps keep it organized, and it's easy to pull it off the bobbin when I sew on the binding.

I used this tutorial by Kathy for cutting the binding strips.  I don't know about you, but while I understand how to do the continuous binding strips, I really don't have the best success with getting my lines to line up exactly when I sew the tube together.  I saw Terrie, the owner of the quilt shop in Pocatello, cut her binding strips this way once, and I thought it was pretty awesome.  But I never learned how to do it.  So, I was really happy Kathy posted this tutorial for it.  I followed it and ended up with the most perfect binding I've ever had.  I really like this method.  I bookmarked the tutorial and will use it again.  (If you visit Kathy's website, check out her long arm quilting business.  She is a friend of mine from Idaho and does excellent work.  I have another quilt to bind that I'll show you later, and she quilted it for me.)

I will add one tip to her tutorial, though.  When you open up your strips, you have some perfectly aligned strips.  While they are still nicely stacked, if you have one of these triangle trimmer rulers, use it to nip off the tops of these triangles.  Then, when you go to sew your strips together, it's even easier to see exactly where to line them up.  Worked really great for me!

I have two other quilts to bind.  I tried to make the binding for them this weekend, too.  But dang if I can find the fabric I stashed away safely for them.  Shoot!  I will keep looking.  I'm anxious to show you the finished quilts!

What did you do this weekend?

Until next time,

Comments

[Shelly]

What a pretty way to store your bindings! I don't think I can do that, because by the time I'd use them up, they'd be all faded and dusty!

[Donna]

Congrats to the winners.
I love antique bobbins but I have mine filled with rick rack and ribbon! I should save one for binding .. great idea.
I can't wait to see your quilts.
I did a little sewing this weekend and worked in my flower beds. It was so nice here this weekend.
Back to school?
Hugs,
Donna

[carolld]

Congratulations to your winners. Looks like you had a productive weekend. Can't wait to see the finished quilt. I had to giggle about that binding fabric. Been there, done that. Good luck on finding it!

[Mary on Lake Pulaski]

Can't wait to see Lincoln' s Watch that Shelly quilted!

[Thimbleanna]

Oooh, I can't wait to see that Lincoln quilt finished -- it looks gorgeous. And I think you need to get that random generator fixed -- it's broken! ;-D

[Maureen]

Cool idea for the binding. Well you saw my sewing area this weekend...it needs lots of help! What did I do this weekend? Lots of grad work and cleaned my house and yard for special Girl Scout picnic. :)

[Lynn]

I just wind my binding around a cardboard rectangle from a package of satin binding. Certainly isn't as cute as yours!

Yay me! Thanks for the great giveaway!

[Maggie Szafranski]

Thanks for the link to the tutorial. I have seen this done before but I think I get it now! The tube thing just doesn't work for me either!

[jenclair]

I have extra bias binding from different projects AND SOON they will be wrapped around some large bobbins! Great idea--and thanks for the tutorial.